The present invention relates, in general, to the installation of drywall and plasterboard and, more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for assisting a single worker in the installation of overhead drywall and plasterboard.
The installation of overhead ceiling panels of drywall and plasterboard has always been a difficult job because of the size of the panels. The operation in the past has required two or more persons to perform this task. One worker is needed to hold the panel while the other worker attaches or secures the panel to the roof trusses or ceiling joists with screws or nails. This has been necessary because it is extremely difficult for one person to hold a ceiling panel and still be able to attach the panel to ceiling joists with either screws or nails.
Even with two people the task is still an arduous one because the panels are generally 4 foot by 8 foot and although the panels may not be excessively heavy the panels are not light and are extremely awkward to handle. Further, holding ceiling panels above one""s head for a period of time is a very tiring operation.
Thus, there has been and still is a need for some type of equipment that could assist a single worker in the installation of these ceiling panels. With such equipment it would be possible for a worker to install the panel alone without being required to have a second worker assist in the operation.
A first embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for supporting and holding a building panel during installation onto an overhead building structure. The apparatus comprises a bar member for supporting at least a portion of such building panel. The bar member has an elongated portion to be disposed substantially parallel to such overhead building structure when secured to at least one of such overhead building structure and a building wall in a working position, the elongated portion has each of a predetermined length and a predetermined shape. There is an arcuately shaped portion connected to the elongated portion of the bar member adjacent a first end thereof and at least one means disposed adjacent a second end of the elongated portion of the bar member for anchoring the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall. There is also a means engageable with such at least one means for anchoring the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall for enabling attachment of the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall.
In a second embodiment of the invention there is provided an apparatus for supporting and holding a building panel during installation onto an overhead building structure. The apparatus comprises a bar member for supporting at least a portion of such building panel, the bar member having an elongated portion to be disposed substantially parallel to such overhead building structure when secured to at least one of such overhead building structure and a building wall in a working position, the elongated portion has each a predetermined length and a predetermined shape. There is an arcuately shaped portion connected to the elongated portion of the bar member adjacent a first end thereof and a first means telescopingly engageable with a second end of the elongated portion of the bar member for anchoring the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall. There is further a second means engageable with the first means for enabling attachment of the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall.
A third embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for supporting and holding a building panel during installation onto an overhead building structure. The apparatus comprises a bar member for supporting at least a portion of such building panel, the bar member has an elongated portion to be disposed substantially parallel to such overhead building structure when secured to at least one of such overhead building structure and a building wall in a working position. The elongated portion has each of a predetermined length and a predetermined shape. There is an arcuately shaped portion connected to the elongated portion of the bar member adjacent a first end thereof and an anchoring means disposed closely adjacent a second end of the elongated portion of the bar member for anchoring the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall, the anchoring means has at least one first anchoring member hingedly engaged on a side of the bar member extending in an upwardly direction for anchoring the apparatus to such overhead building structure and has a second anchoring member disposed at the second end of the bar member transverse to the bar member and extending in a downwardly direction for anchoring the apparatus to such building wall. There is also a means engageable with the anchoring means for enabling attachment of the apparatus to such overhead building structure and such building wall.
In another embodiment of the present invention there is an apparatus for supporting and holding a building panel during installation onto an overhead building structure. The apparatus comprises a bar member for supporting at least a portion of such building panel, the bar member has an elongated portion to be disposed substantially parallel to such overhead building structure when secured to at least one of such overhead building structure and a building wall in a working position. Such elongated portion has each of a predetermined length and a predetermined shape. There is an arcuately shaped portion connected to the elongated portion of the bar member adjacent a first end thereof and an anchoring means disposed at a second end of the elongated portion of the bar member transverse to the bar member and extending in a downwardly direction for anchoring the apparatus to such building wall and a means engageable with the anchoring means for enabling attachment of such apparatus to such building wall.
In still another embodiment of the invention there is an apparatus for supporting and holding a building panel during installation onto an overhead building structure. The apparatus comprises a bar member for supporting at least a portion of such building panel. The bar member has an elongated portion to be disposed substantially parallel to such overhead building structure when secured to at least one of such overhead building structure and a building wall in a working position. The elongated portion has each of a predetermined length and a predetermined shape. There is an arcuately shaped portion connected to the elongated portion of the bar member adjacent a first end thereof and at least one anchoring means disposed closely adjacent a second end of the elongated portion of the bar member for anchoring the apparatus to such overhead building structure. The at least one anchoring means is formed as a projection extending in an upwardly direction from the bar member and there is a means engageable with such at least one anchoring means for enabling attachment of the apparatus to such overhead building structure.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus which would assist a single worker in making overhead installation of ceiling panels of drywall or plasterboard.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which would be lightweight.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus into which a sheet of ceiling panel could be easily mounted for support prior to attachment to ceiling joists.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is easily manufactured.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture.
In addition to the numerous objects and advantages of the present invention which have been described with some degree of particularity above, it should be both noted and understood that a number of other important objects and advantages of the apparatus for assisting in the installation of ceiling panels will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant building art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such detailed description is taken in conjunction with the appended claims.